In an article from the Examiner.com, the William Hamby explores the controversy surrounding Tim Minchin's song, "Fuck The Pope" that he performed at the Reason Rally. Catholic groups are raising hell (pun intended) and are saying it was blasphemy. Aside from that, people are also saying that the Rally was billed as family friendly and the cursing was too much.

My view is that both the organizers of the Rally and the people who attended, obviously didn't do any serious research as to those who were scheduled to speak because if they had, they would have known that many of Minchin's songs include vulgarity and swearing. Aside from that I'm pretty sure other speakers as well as the MC swore as well. Get over it people, adults swear. This was not a Disney/Pixar production of any sort. Minchin is BRILLIANT and dead on with this song. Check it out for yourself.

Fuck the motherfucker, fuck the motherfucker Fuck the motherfucker, he's a fucking motherfucker

Fuck the motherfucker, fuck the fucking fucker Fuck the motherfucker, he's a total fucking fucker

Fuck the motherfucker, fuck the motherfucker Fuck the motherfucker, fucking fuck the motherfucker

Fuck the motherfucker, fuck the motherfucking pope

Fuck the motherfucker, and fuck you motherfucker If you think that motherfucker is sacred (fucking motherfucker) If you cover for another motherfucker who's a kiddie fucker Fuck you you're no better then the mother fucking rapist And if you don't like this swearing that this motherfucker forced from me And reckon it shows moral or intellectual paucity Then fuck you motherfucker, this is language one employs When one is fucking cross about fuckers fucking boys

I don't give a fuck if calling the pope a motherfucker Means you unthinkingly brand me an unthinking apostate, and This has naught to do with other fucking godly motherfuckers I'm not interested right now in fucking scriptural debate There are other fucking songs and there are other fucking ways I'll be a religious apologist on other fucking days And the fact remains that if you protect a single kiddie fucker Then pope or prince or plumber you're a fucking motherfucker

You see I don't give a fuck what any other motherfucker Believes about Jesus and his motherfucking mother I've no problem with the spiritual beliefs of all these fuckers While those beliefs don't impact on the happiness of others But if you build your church on claims of fucking moral authority And with threats of hell impose it on others in society Then you, you motherfuckers, can expect some fucking wrath When it turn out you've been fucking us in our motherfucking asses

So fuck the motherfucker and fuck you motherfucker If you're still a motherfucking papist (fucking motherfucker) If you covered for a single motherfucker who's a kiddie fucker, Fuck the motherfucker he's as evil as the rapist And if you look into your motherfucking heart and tell me true If this motherfucking stupid fucking song offended you With its filthy fucking language and its fucking disrespect If it made you feel angry go ahead and write a letter

But if you find me more offensive than the fucking possibility The pope protected priests when they were getting fucking fiddly Then listen to me motherfucker, this here is a fact You are just as morally misguided as that motherfucking Power-hungry, self-aggrandised bigot in the stupid fucking hat

I fail to understand the argument that in your face rhetoric laden with obscenity works to support our cause.

The big picture is to realize that religion is the problem and not just catholic priests. How we project ourselves to those who may be questioning the validity of religion is a reasonable concern. The truthfulness of a message's content can easily be destroyed by it's delivery. That's the only point we are trying to make. Outrage is not in question here.

@ Logicallunatic

You are way off base to call a fellow atheist an apologist for pedophiles simply because he/we question the effectiveness of Minchin's song performed at a public rally. Shame on you.

@Ed, et. al.: It works to support our cause because it gives people permission to blaspheme, it assassinates the last residues of sacrality that the pigs use to dress up as sacred cows. One of the biggest hurdles that people struggling to come out of religion face is getting comfortable with the idea that it's OK to to flip off religious authority, and that the untouchable-ness of the church is bullshit. This song does that - it gleefully, boldly, bravely, brashly stomps on the undeserved reverence so many of us are trained to have for religion and the religious establishment, even when we no longer believe. Like a feminist burning a bra, it's cathartic, it's freeing, liberating. No, this may not be the rhetoric for every day, but it is a necessary and healthy bit of defiance.

Just because he is a "fellow atheist" doesn't mean anything at all. I couldn't care less. Atheists can argue over pretty much anything. The only guaranteed agreement is disbelief in gods.

Please read the Case of The Pope and you will realise the extent of the systematic cover-up. You could try the Ryan report too as just one example out of many damning reports from around the globe. People are simply not aware of its odious pervasiveness. This is really serious stuff.

This is not about the atheist campaign and how we "project", or how we are perceived through a bloody song. This is about the systematic rape and cover up of thousands and thousands of children. This is about justice. Are you more worried about Atheist perceptions or the systematic rapes? You decide.

The pope is the protected species. He cannot be charged - he is Head of State, and can go where he please, with complete immunity and impunity.

It's called hypocrisy - Hitler would have been charged, Saddam Hussein was charged, Dalai Lama would be charged.

So, some can be charged, some can't? The pope was given Head of State status by Mussolini.

In 2005 a test case in Texas failed because the Vatican sought and obtained the intercession of President Bush, who agreed to claim sovereign - Head of State immunity on the pope's behalf. John Bellinger, lawyer for George W. Bush certified that pope benedict the XVI was immune from being sued as the Head of a Foreign State.

So, something else has to be done, to shine the light on the pedophile protector.

This is not just about religion, it about the power, the hierarchy of, in this case the catholic church.

White Australia was populated by criminals, the stealer of bread and spoons. We hate injustice. we are anti-authoritarian when people in power know they are immune from prosecution. No other religious group in the world gets this protection.

It was only because of protest that anything gets done. And if it is vehment swearing, so be it.

We claim Germain Greer, we claim Geoffrey Robertson, an international criminal lawyer, who is constantly shining the light on Ratzinger for his part in the right to rape mentality, but nothing will be done, because the pope is protected by law.

I proudly lay claim to Tim Minchin, I am sick of this protected species.

Am I worried by what xians or swinging voters think, or am I outraged by the legally protected pope protecting these pedophiles, who are still in our midst, by the hundreds. Am I concerned about closed minded xians who would never change their mind, who do not do any research on anything, but just want to believe, and who don't care what pedophiles are doing or not doing, lack of knowledge or whatever, when in the meantime, the pedophiles roll on, simply hoping not to get caught, keep moving around, and denying they would ever do such a dastardly thing as rape children in their care.

We have real freedom of speech in Australia, we have an Atheist Prime Minister, do you think this could ever possibly happen in America, but still the pope does come to Australia, he is adored by catholics, so what ! I should admire him, revere him, because he is the head of a religion, and deserves respect?

Are you worried about xian or Atheist perception or are you worried about the right to rape and cover up and protect, children in the care of adults. Your choice. Thanks once again to Mith and Logicallunatic.

Hey, just a reminder everyone... no personal attacks. You can debate without hurling insults or making insinuations about someone's character based on your perception of their argument. Here are our guidelines; personal attacks are a banable offense; we try to keep Think Atheist a safe place for people to discuss really controversial and volatile topics.

We need to educate people about this issue before we can have a juvenile tantrum in front of them condemning the perps (and those who refuse to stand with us in doing so). And Minchin's song does nothing to educate. It's for us already in the know, not the general public not in the know.

That is the problem Steven, they are not being educated. If catholics go against their pope, they will go to hell. If they question if there is a god, they will go to hell. This has been going on for decades, and went full tilt when Mussonlini gave Head of State to the pope. He nor his cohorts can be held to account, even when there is evidence that would hold up in court of the systematic cover up by the pope.

Where is the outrage in Catholics. Not happening, won't happen. Maybe we in Australia know more about it, certainly the catholics in this country know all about, but turn their head, close their eyes, and sit on their hands. The pope came here, and atheists had their 'Vatican Pedophile Heaven', while the sycophants, the priests and bishops and archbishops licked his boots. It was a disgrace. The pope knew and knows exactly what was and is going on. He gave personal pardons, sent these hundreds of priests off to confession, then sent them overseas.

In 2005 a test case in Texas failed because the Vatican sought and obtained the intercession of President Bush, who agreed to claim sovereign - Head of State immunity on the pope's behalf. John Bellinger, lawyer for George W. Bush certified that pope benedict the XVI was immune from being sued as the Head of a Foreign State.

Why did the pope go to the trouble of organising this with Bush, because it would have opened the floodgates to the courts, to the thousands of children being vindicatd, and the heirarchy of the church challenged. And yet, and still, nothing changes. They are still hiding, and moving, and abusing children.

Where are the millions of catholics shining their light. The catholics in Australia know all about it - because pedophilia was and is rampant here. But no, they sit quietly. Well, not Tim. Look at the furore he has caused in our newspapers and on this site - Bravo Tim.

What has to be hoped for, is that people in the system, priests, bishops, cardinals etc come out, and say yes, this is happening, and the pope has and is covering it all up. Otherwise nothing will change.

Yes I think you are right. But that can be a good thing too. This topic brings out intense emotions because well... it's intense and serious.

@Suzanne

You're spot on. People would rather close their eyes and minds than doing a small bit of research. It's easier not to think and research requires time and effort.. and most of all it causes uncomfortable cognitive dissonance by coming to uncomfortable truths. We need a million Tim Minchin's out there.

You are spot on Logical I hadn't even thought about the Atheist image when I saw Tim's YouTube - that just never occurred to me - Atheist turnout Atheist diatribe.

When the pope is protected in Italy and America, by law, it just seems hopeless. Then all the other countries are sycophants because it is 'disrespectufl' to attack and announce the pope is a pedophile protector, including Australia.

I actually think if more countries had the guts of Ireland, where the percentage of Catholics is around 87%. The Irish government denounced the Vatican, and the days of church dominance over the state are gone. A lot of Australian pedophile priests were sent there, and for the government to come out with this is quite incredible.

My point about Tim is that this was an Atheist turnout - if one can't vent there, where can one vent. Tim was banned from a show called The Jonathon Ross show, he was singing about Jesus, no swearing, just banned. We are an anti authoritarian bunch, I do understand what Steve was saying, when Jehovas Witness come to my door, in my space, I am still civilized and respectful. But not at an Atheist Rally I wouldn't have been. This shite is world wide, then the victims are fighting against this shite ; -

I will say that some semblance of progress has actually been made in certain parts of the world regarding catholic priests and their propensity to commit child abuse. And I will prefix this comment by saying that I an NOT supporting or defending the catholic church in any way.

In Ireland there was an interview of the bishop and he was one of the few to raise his voice toward the Vatican that the cover up must stop. He did this because he was one of the few who seemed to possess a conscious. Ireland's catholic churches are suffering tremendous drops in attendance and they have serious shortages of priests and nuns. This is of course a good thing from our perspective and I hope the trend continues. But what I found utterly amazing was the fact that in Ireland today NO PRIEST is allowed to be in the same room with children without another adult present! They effectively have to be chaperoned. This is absolutely mind blowing in that it basically removes any vestiges of remaining integrity about the church and it's pedophiles. It is an unspoken admission of guilt. I commend the new policy but believe it also foretells the unraveling of the church's respect in the Irish community.